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A-LevelEnglish LanguageReading: text analysis and comparison9093/12 · May/June 2014 · Q125 Marks

The following text is taken from a website advertising a holiday location. In the azure waters of the Indian Ocean there is an island like no other on earth. An island where nature thrives and man is just a silent observer, curator of one of the most pristine islands on earth. Cousine Island is one of the 115 islands that make up the Seychelles: the perfect destination for travellers seeking an escape from the crowds, but where luxury and service are never compromised. Cousine Island can only be reached by helicopter and it is this seclusion that makes it such an attractive haven for people wanting absolute privacy. Cousine Island offers you the opportunity to not only visit a private island but to experience a sense of ownership. The Island offers privacy found in very few places on earth! From arrival to departure and beyond, you are a part of the Cousine Family – we offer warm hospitality which is unobtrusive and encourages a true 'home away from home' feeling. Birds and tortoises welcome you, the song of the Magpie Robin enchants you and the ever curious skinks¹ sit quietly awaiting a crumb to fall from your table... Private, unique and intimate weddings are offered on Cousine Island! Where would you find the most romantic beach wedding location to tie the knot? For the ultimate beach wedding, you won't have to look further than Cousine Island. You cannot afford not to investigate Seychelles beach weddings; the exquisite setting is the perfect ingredient for a happy day, and with our temperate climate, choosing Cousine Island for this milestone will be one of the wisest choices you make. Most newlyweds long for some seclusion, but they also want comfort and luxury and this is what Cousine Island is all about. For Seychelles beach weddings, the best time to come and tie the knot is from October to February, because you have the promise of lazy, hazy days; calm, serene seas and gentle breezes. Save yourself a great deal of stress. Let us plan everything for you – from your dress, to the flowers, to the music and wedding feast. There are all sorts of different ways you can celebrate your beach wedding, anything from barefoot and tropical to something more formal. The pressure is on for you to create an experience that is truly unforgettable, and it can be hard to know where to begin, but with Seychelles beach weddings we arrange everything and plan a day that you will never forget, and you will be totally relaxed and rejuvenated from having us arrange every tiny detail. Come to the 'islands of love' – Seychelles beach weddings and honeymoons are the perfect way to start your journey together and to return again to celebrate all the important stages of your marriage. The powder-white beach overlooking the turquoise blue water with palm trees swaying gently in the mid-afternoon breeze offers the perfect setting to celebrate your perfect wedding. Whether it is a grand affair with pastor and choir or barefoot on the beach, your wedding is sure to be remembered forever! A perfect day rounded off by a romantic beach barbecue with a bonfire and a starlit sky... or a feast in the pavilion with family and friends. Your honeymoon – a time to relax after the wedding. Kick off your shoes, settle under a palm tree and read your favourite book or let our spa therapist work away at the stress and tension left over from your wedding. Relax and unwind in our rustic spa which is located at the old Beach House. Our spa features the exclusive Ligne St Barth product range which is a very luxurious and all-natural skincare range. You will be taken on a sensory journey that will leave you tingling with delight from head to toe. Enjoy our home-made ginger and peppermint tea on the verandah overlooking the ocean. We make sure that your time spent here with us will be enjoyed to the full. Come and experience true paradise without having to deal with crowds of people! ¹ skink: type of lizard

  1. (a)Comment on the ways in which language and style are used to promote the island and its benefits.[15]
  2. (b)The designers of the same website are invited to write a similar promotion for another holiday destination and its benefits to potential visitors. Write a section (between 120–150 words) of this promotion. Base your answer closely on the style and features of the writing in the original extract.[10]

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2014). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

  1. [13-15] Part (a) Knowledge and Understanding: Shows perceptive appreciation of content and ideas. Fluidly relates content to structure, form, audience, purpose, genre, style. Shows keen awareness of intentions of passage.
  2. [13-15] Part (a) Analysis of language effects: Analyses text with sensitive and discriminating awareness of how language creates effects. Moves with ease between part and whole in discussing specific examples of language use and the effect of the whole passage.
  3. [13-15] Part (a) Organisation: Strong structure; may be concise; quotation is used fluently, 'embedded' in the argument.
  4. [10-12] Part (a) Knowledge and Understanding: Shows consistent appreciation of content and ideas. Able to relate content to structure, form, audience, purpose, genre, style, main aims of passage.
  5. [10-12] Part (a) Analysis of language effects: Analyses text, with awareness of the effects created. Able to relate part to whole in discussing specific examples of language use and the effect of the whole passage.
  6. [10-12] Part (a) Organisation: Strong structure used to convey clear argument.
  7. [8-10] Part (b): A perceptive recognition of context, audience, form, and purpose supported by a good range of appropriate vocabulary and expression suitable for the task. Responses at the top of this band will be persuasive and confident, supported by a consistent, and at best personal, engagement with context and purpose, using fluent and accurate expression accompanied by a strong sense of audience.
  8. [6-7] Part (b): A clear and informed sense of purpose, context, form and relevance supported by a reasonable attempt to use language appropriate for the task.

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About this question

Topic
Reading: text analysis and comparison, A-Level English Language (syllabus 9093). Structured question, 25 marks.
Source
A-Level English Language, May/June 2014 Paper 1 Variant 2, question 1.

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